Shulou(Shulou.com)11/24 Report--

NASA is exploring whether SpaceX's manned Dragon spacecraft can be used to bring some astronauts from the International Space Station back to Earth due to a coolant leak on a Russian space agency Soyuz spacecraft MS-22 during docking with the International Space Station.

The Soyuz spacecraft, which was supposed to return two Russian astronauts and one American to Earth early next year, suffered a serious coolant leak while docking with the International Space Station. NASA and the Russian space agency are collaborating to investigate the cause of the Soyuz spacecraft accident.

A coolant leak on Dec. 14 that deprived Soyuz of vital fluids to regulate cabin temperatures has disrupted routine operations on the International Space Station. Russian space agency engineers are studying whether another Soyuz spacecraft will be needed to bring three astronauts back to Earth ahead of schedule.

If the Russian space agency is unable to launch another Soyuz spacecraft, or for some reason decides it is too risky to do so, NASA is considering another option.

NASA spokeswoman Sandra Jones said in a statement: "We have asked SpaceX if they have the ability to send more astronauts back to Earth with Dragon if necessary, but this is not our main focus at this time. "

SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment.

It's unclear what specific requirements NASA has for SpaceX's crewed Dragon capability, such as whether SpaceX can find a way to increase the crew capacity of the company's Dragon spacecraft currently docked at the International Space Station, or launch another empty ship to pick up astronauts.

SpaceX's possible participation in a mission led by the Russian space agency also shows that NASA is taking certain precautions to ensure that astronauts can safely return to Earth even if other emergency plans arranged by the Russian space agency fail.

The Soyuz spacecraft that currently has a leak sent NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Russian Space Agency cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dimitri Petelin to the International Space Station in September for a six-month mission. They are scheduled to return to Earth in March 2023.

In addition to the three astronauts, the International Space Station has four astronauts, two of whom are from NASA, the other two are Russian astronauts and Japanese astronauts. The four arrived at the International Space Station in October aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, which is still docked at the International Space Station.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, with four astronaut seats, has become the centerpiece of NASA's manned spaceflight efforts in low-Earth orbit. Apart from the Russian Space Agency's Soyuz spacecraft, Manned Dragon is one of the few spacecraft in the world capable of transporting humans to the International Space Station and back to Earth.

Three possible causes Finding out the specific cause of the coolant leak could affect which way astronauts return to Earth. NASA and the Russian space agency are investigating whether it was a pipe perforation caused by a meteorite, an impact caused by space debris, or a hardware failure in the Soyuz spacecraft itself.

Mike Suffredini, who led NASA's International Space Station program for a decade until 2015, said that if a hardware failure is confirmed, it could raise more questions about the integrity of the Russian space agency's other Soyuz spacecraft, including another Soyuz that could be used to retrieve astronauts.

"I can assure you that's something they're looking at to see what's out there and whether it's worth worrying about," he said. "The characteristic of the Russian space agency is that they are really good at not talking about what they are doing, but they will do it very thoroughly. "

Yuri Borisov, head of Russia's space agency, had previously said engineers would decide by Tuesday how to get astronauts back to Earth. However, the Russian Space Agency said on the same day that it would make a decision in January next year.

NASA has previously said that the temperature inside the Soyuz spacecraft remains "within acceptable limits" and that the air inside the spacecraft is currently convective with the International Space Station through an open hatch.

Sergei Krikalev, head of Russia's manned space program, revealed last week that temperatures inside the Soyuz capsule would rise rapidly if the hatch was closed.

NASA and the Russian space agency are currently working to determine the cause of the leak and the health of the Soyuz spacecraft, NASA spokesman John Jones said. The ship is also a lifeboat for three astronauts, which can be used in case of an emergency on the International Space Station requiring evacuation of astronauts.

Joel Montalbano, NASA's International Space Station program manager, said last week that a recent meteor shower appeared to increase the likelihood that micrometeoroids could penetrate the spacecraft's pipeline. Although the space meteorite may have come from another direction, the direction of the coolant leak does not seem to be correct at present.

If the spacecraft coolant leak was caused by a piece of space debris, it could heighten concerns about the low-Earth orbit environment and raise questions about whether critical equipment such as spacecraft cooling lines should be protected from debris like other parts of Soyuz spacecraft.

Soufredini said: "We do not have protection for the entire International Space Station. "We cannot protect everything. "

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